Nikon's anniversary products seemed very 'exquisite' for me from the day they got announced, but I never thought that I would actually see them in person, let alone own one of them. That has changed a few days ago, when I won a category in a contest organised by Nikon Romania. As a celebration for being officially in the country for 10 years, there was a category for a portfolio of 3 images, representing the work of a Nikon shooter over the past decade. With a selection of my wildlife pictures, I was fortunate enough to have won the top prize, consisting of a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8E 100th Anniversary Edition lens.

Romania is a geographically diverse country, with significant wilderness areas, and ecologically extremely important habitats. Unfortunately, a lot of these areas, virgin forests, vast wetlands are under threat from legal and illegal logging and ill-conceived development projects. As a nature photographer, it has been my goal to raise awareness of these issues, and I am very grateful, that even in this contest two of my awarded images are from the Danube Delta in Romania, one of the most important wetlands in the world.

After the brief unboxing, the lens and the included lens display all seem very solid, elegant and of very high quality. From the looks of it, I don't see why these anniversary products wouldn't hold their value well in the future.

I don’t get it. So you get the lens itself and then you get a set of all of the glass elements in the lens? Or are those plastic or unground glass models? If the former, you in essence get a second copy of the lens, but without the casing, switches, motor and contacts? On the upside, I guess it makes the lens worth closer to the extra $1200 they’re charging for it. The 3-lens set is actually the far better buy because the whole thing is “only” $1300 more for all three lenses than the regular prices, but they’re supposedly only issuing 100 of those.

TurtleCat

The glass may just be glass that didn’t meet spec for some reason. So a reuse for curiosity.

Spy Black

I doubt that’s glass, just plastic replicas.

Roger S

The info provided on the Adorama entry for the lens indicates that the model contains “actual lens elements,” whatever that means. If those are usable lens elements, I suppose that would explain the extra $1200 the special edition costs.

Spy Black

So, “actual lens elements” could be from old Ai lenses LOL! I suppose they’re rejects of some sort.

Roger S

I agree. It would make little sense to use flawless glass in a display model.

Espen4u

Thoose lens elements are probably worth one tenth of the markup, in production. My guess of course, but this zoom should have quite large batches.

Roger S

Upon reflection, I think that you are right. This zoom was likely made in large batches. I wonder if the production of large batches would also result in numerous elements not quite up to snuff that could be used in these models.

I thought they were done with this 100 year anniversary nonsense but I guess not. Strangely, I liked the photos in this article.

Nikon: give it a rest now on the birthday party.

bobgrant

Pretty cool for collectors. And the best 70-200 ever is included.

Davidvictormeldrew Idontbeliev

Nice set but nikon needs to knuckle down for 2018 and bring out a mirrorless system to cater for all needs and budgets, e.g d3000 upwards (dx) and d600 upwards (ff) equivalents. key is not too price punters out of the market

jonebize

I’m stoked for Nikon, but this 100th anniversary is starting to feel like a grandpa’s 100th birthday. Everybody wants some excitement (a mirrorless announcement). But it keeps getting delayed in the most boring way: with no mention whatsoever. Looks like this is all their 100th will be. It feels like the 100th anniversary of IBM. I don’t want to be negative. I love Nikon but wish they would do something beautiful like the film cameras I loved so much. Or the 300/2.0 I literally held in my arms. You know? Does anyone else feel this way?

Davidvictormeldrew Idontbeliev

true on that and for them stop making $^^$^ mistakes

Scott M.

300 mm f/2.0 drool…

Doug-e-fresh

Do something beautiful??
Not many things prettier than the
Nikon Df!! with a DC105 f2

jonebize

I actually want one badly!!! The problem is, I want a camera I can sling across myself 24/7 so that I have it all the time, like I used to do with my old FM2! The Df is just too big. I’ll have to stick with Fuji for now.

ninpou_kobanashi

Congratulations! (@Zoltán Nagy)

Roger S

Ditto. Nice pix, nice prize.

Spy Black

Real estate developers, destroying the planet, one nation at a time…

ninpou_kobanashi

Don’t worry, a world wide pandemic and our AI overlords will fix that in the near future! (^_^)

How Pretty is that 4 Grand newly painted and 100 Year. Paint and a sticker of 100 Years. IF you pay 4 Grand for this lens…Nikon will give you a Free Tattoo ..on your forehead that only says…just for you…Dumbass. OR Dickhead. lol

saywhatuwill

I like that do-it-yourself Nikon zoom lens kit. That would be cool to own. Just snap in the elements and go out shooting.

Truthfully I think I’d rather have the 70-200 lens than the D850. Camera bodies come and go, but lenses…well, they stick around for a few decades.

Check to make sure it’s not decentered. A couple of lenses I bought used were that way.

Aldo

I just tested it at 1.4 for critical focus accuracy. How do you test for that?

Spy Black

Take a shot at something in the distance, like a skyline. Take a look at the edges and see if they go soft and/or are smeared. Now, edges might be a little soft regardless, but more importantly, check to see if one side is more soft/smeared than the other side. If it is then it’s decentered.

Aldo

Will try it. Thanks for the tip

Spy Black

If it is decentered, you can usually get it recentered. My used Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 came decentered, but I had it recentered at Photo Tech in NYC for $85. It’s become my favorite lens.
However I didn’t have that luck with my Tokina 28-70mm F/2.6-2.8. I can’t find anyone to work on Tokina lenses, and Tokina themselves won’t touch it.

Aldo

I hope my lens is good… seems like it is but you never know. I also know a really good tech based in montebello, CA. His prices are low too. Im a regular at his shop.

Patrick

That’s a great photo of the small birds keeping their distance from the big crow. I wish I could claim that shot as my own.

Congratulations to Mr. Nagy!

Piooof

Nice wildlife photos!

danceprotog

I’ll wait for the 200th anniversary editions

Nika

Congratulations

Michiel953

Great images, well deserved prize!

bgbs

I dont understand this box

karayuschij

I too 🙂
Completely useless imho

ZoetMB

I can’t even convince myself to buy the regular version to replace the 2003 version of the 70-200. But “two” is no joke, because one might want one as a collectible that you don’t even open and a second to actually use(?) I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of the special Nikon limited edition anniversary edition bodies come up on auction sites, so I don’t know if they increase in value substantially or not. The last one they did was the SP2005 “Nikon Eye Candy” rangefinder with a 35mm 1.8 lens which was released in an edition of 2500 units in Japan only for $6000 in early 2005.